Liz Cottam to close Home in Leeds

Liz Cottam will be closing her restaurant Home in Leeds after 8 years of trading, as a result of “insurmountable” economic challenges.

 

The 2016 MasterChef semi-finalist announced the news on Instagram, stating it was a “difficult decision” to come to.

 

“Throughout the years, we have achieved so much, so it is with a profound sense of sadness that we find ourselves succumbing to the insurmountable economic pressures that have affected so many businesses. Because this outcome is not due to any fault of our own, we can hold our heads high. We have given our all and have no regrets,” she said.

 

News of the closure comes a year after Cottam closed her third Leeds outpost, Cora bakehouse, dining room and wine bar in Boston Spa.

 

Cottam opened Home in August 2017 after securing a bank loan and partnership with chef Mark Owens, who she had met while at the Michelin-starred Box Tree in Ilkley.

 

Home was praised by the former Sunday Times food critic Marina O’Loughlin as a “little star” and was listed on the Michelin Guide for its “creative, ambitious dishes”.

 

Its tasting menu included dishes such as scallop, lemon, coffee; mango, coconut, pandan; and white tea, mandarin and sorrel.

 

Cottam added: “To my exceptional staff, you are the heart and soul of Home. Many of you have been with me since the beginning or for a significant part of this incredible journey, I know how much Home means to you. Your dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed. I assure you that we will continue to work together on something new as soon as the right opportunity for us comes along.”

 

Home will close on 30 September.

 

Cottam’s second restaurant, the Owl gastropub originally based at Leeds’ Kirkgate Market, moved to Mustard Wharf in 2022 and remains open.